Judge won't punish dad for trying to attack Nassar

An angry father rushed at Larry Nassar at the beginning of court Friday and had to be tackled by deputies. Nassar was in court for his third and final sentencing hearing. (Source: Pool/CNN))

(RNN) – The judge overseeing Larry Nassar's court appearance Friday said she would not fine or jail a distraught father of three girls victimized by the convicted sexual predator.

The father, Randall Margraves, rushed at the former USA Gymnastics doctor in court Friday and had to be tackled by deputies. Judge Janice Cunningham said it would be wrong to punish the man, based on the level of Nassar's crimes and the anguish felt by the families, the Associated Press reported.

However, she said it was wrong to combat assault with more assault.

Margraves first asked the judge for time alone with Nassar, which the judge denied. He cursed Nassar and called him a "demon" then lunged toward him before law enforcement officers grabbed him.

"I know it is hard, but I need to ask all of you to try and not react in any physical way," Cunningham said. "It is not appropriate. It does not show the right message. It actually just causes more pain and more discomfort, and certainly we already have enough of that in this courtroom."

Court adjourned and reconvened after order was restored.

Nassar was in court in Eaton County, MI, for his third and final sentencing hearing for multiple counts of sexual abuse, and more than 30 victims have given statements. The charges stem from his time working as a doctor with Twistars, which was considered an elite gymnastics camp in Michigan.

Public statements came from more than 150 victims last week in neighboring Ingham County, where he was sentenced to 40 to 175 years.

The father of Margraves asked the judge to speak, asked the judge for 5 minutes alone in a room with Nassar, when the judge declined, he ran at Nassar. Deputies had to tackle him. pic.twitter.com/FgP8QG3cOR

Nassar served as the national medical coordinator or USA Gymnastics from 1996 to 2014. Also in 1996, Nassar married Stephanie Lynn Anderson. They had three children together, two daughters and a son, before divorcing in 2017.

The entire board for US Gymnastics resigned under pressure, in the wake of the prison sentence and victims saying they had made complaints for years that were never acted on. Nassar also abused girls while working at Michigan State, and the school's president and athletic director are among those who resigned amid the scandal.